Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Progressive Christian
Religion News
Book Review: “Being” by Karl J. Forehand

Book Review: “Being” by Karl J. Forehand

Last updated on: May 11, 2021 at 7:00 am by Matthew Distefano

Book Review: “Being” by Karl J. Forehand 2021-04-07T20:34:26-06:00 Matthew Distefano

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The cool thing about being a writer is that if you do it well enough and for long enough, you’ll get to meet other writers who are out there doing their thing. Some time ago, Karl Forehand was one of those folks I had the pleasure of meeting. Of course, by “meet,” I mean that we’ve only spoken online, chatted on each other’s podcasts, and now, have even become colleagues here on Patheos. Oh, and we’ve each published multiple books on Quoir Publishing (the best publishing house you’ve probably never heard of). But you get the idea.

The thing about Karl is that he is not like me. We have different personalities, different interests, and approach things in different ways. We are not similar in age, nor do we have all that similar of tastes (he’s a vegan, after all). I don’t say this to be negative. Quite the contrary! I say this because, while we are very different, we both do our darnedest to be our most authentic selves. And call me bias, but we both do a damn good job of it.

This is why Karl’s latest endeavor, Being: My Journey Toward Presence and Authenticity, is such a good book. It’s real. It’s vulnerable. And it’s everything you would want in a book about spirituality and the power of being present in this ever-evolving present moment.

What I particularly liked about Karl’s book is that, while it had the sort of Rohr-esque style prose you would come to expect from any modern-day mystic, it also had a collection of poetry that affords the reader the ability to use the other side of their brains. This makes Being stand out from other books from the same genre, and will assuredly keep his readers turning the pages through ’til the end.

If I may be so bold, this is the type of book modern people of faith are going to need as they traverse this life. As Karl Rahner once said, “In the days ahead, you will either be a mystic (one who has experienced God for real) or nothing at all.” I’m confident Forehand has experienced God for himself, and that reality shines through on the pages of Being. There are no pretenses, no need to proselytize, and nothing to necessarily prove. It’s more of a book about direct experience, and how one man’s experiences have led him to discovering the God who desperately wants us to live as our authentic selves, ever-present and “here.” Not “over there,” or stuck in the future or past, but here and now.

If you’ve read Karl before (both his books Apparent Faith and The Tea Shop come to mind) this book will be similar territory. I know first-hand that he’s helped many people with his previous books, and I’m confident this one will be no different. For those who haven’t yet read him, you’re in for quite a treat.

To that end, pick up his book, Being, from Quoir Publishing/Shaia-Sophia House. Then thank me later.

Cheers!

If you want to follow me on social media, here are some links:

Previous Post

May 1, 2021

Before You Lose Your Mind

Next Post

May 12, 2021 The Rich Man and Lazarus

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Atonement Book Review Early Church Eschatology eternal torment Hell Hermeneutics LGBTQ+ Mimetic Theory Mysticism News Old Testament Podcast Poetry Politics Prayer Religion Sacrifice Satire Soteriology Theology Uncategorized Violence

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 June 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 June 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Why did God command the Israelites to eat unleavened bread?

Select your answer to see how you score.

It was a symbol of humility They had to leave Egypt quickly Yeast was considered unclean It was the only bread they knew how to make

Books by This Author Books by All Set Free

See All Titles »